COLD LAKE - Residents of Cold Lake woke up to a frigid reality on Feb. 4 as the northeastern Alberta city claimed the title of the coldest spot on Earth.
The temperature at 3 p.m. UTC hit -39°C, with conditions that put the city at the top of the global cold-temperature rankings. The cold left Cold Lake residents bundled up and braving one of the most extreme weather conditions seen in the region this winter.
According to a report from WX-Now, which tracks the world’s most extreme weather, Cold Lake’s temperature on that day was colder than locations in Siberia and the Arctic.
The Alberta city was not alone at the top, though. Other parts of Alberta, including Slave Lake and Grande Prairie, also faced incredibly low temperatures, ranking third and fourth globally with readings of -38°C.
As reported by The Weather Network, the extreme cold was part of a broader pattern affecting Western Canada. This week, temperatures across much of the region have been well below normal, with wind chills pushing the cold even further. Wind chill values in Cold Lake were expected to reach between -40°C and -45°C overnight, increasing the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
The bitterly cold temperatures stayed locked in the -20s on Feb. 5 and 6, just slightly cracking out of it, though remaining frigid. Factor in the wind chill and things were still feeling closer to the -40s. Widespread extreme cold warnings in effect for the dangerously cold conditions.
"Cover up. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill," says Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), in the cold weather warning.
